. >> reporter: and just why would the obama administration balk at enforcing federal laws that have been on the books for decades. there is the political consideration. >> here you've got two states that went for president obama, colorado was a swing state. the people of those states have spoken and for the federal government now to come in and say, we want to quash your popular mandate, there are political risks to doing that. >> reporter: there is also some precedent from medical marijuana, which is already legal in 18 states and the district of columbia. but don't think that even medical marijuana is exempt from possible department of justice scrutiny. a case decided by the supreme court during the bush administration says the feds can go after that too. president obama also said earlier this year that we're not going to be legalizing weed anytime soon. joe johns, cnn, washington. >> joe, thank you very much. >>> egypt's president is trying to diffuse the biggest crisis he's faced. about an hour ago, mohamed morsi canceled a decree giving him sweeping powers which ignited furious demo